For our 125th Anniversary, take the 125-Bird Challenge
How many birds can you see and hear on our sanctuaries? The answer is: a lot! We’ve counted 343 species.
That shows that they’re great places for birds — and for people who love birds. So to encourage you to visit our sanctuaries during our 125th anniversary year, we’ve come up with a fun activity:
The 125th Anniversary 125-Bird Challenge.
Email Tom Andersen, our communications director, to let him know you want to participate: tandersen@ctaudubon.org.
It’s not a competition. We do hope however that it’s a good incentive. Many of our sanctuaries are big and unique, and are worth a special visit. You can familiarize yourself with them on our sanctuaries page.
Here’s how the 125-Bird Challenge will work.
When you visit a sanctuary, keep a list of the bird species you see.
You can use our new checklist of the birds of Connecticut Audubon as a guide. Click here to download the list. It’s designed so you can fold it it half horizontally, and then fold it again vertically to make it pocket-size. The list includes 300 species that you can expect to find on our 30 sanctuaries (the total for our sanctuaries is 343 species but some are so rare that we didn’t list them— but keep an eye out because you never know).
You have til the end of 2023, so there’s no rush. But spring migration has started, so you ight as well get started too.
American Oystercatchers return in early spring to the Coastal Center at Milford Point. It’s a good place to start the 125-bird challenge. Photo buy Katerina Gillis.
Then throughout the rest of 2023, send us updates on how you’re doing.
We’d like to know which preserves you’ve visited. Send us photos, if you’ve taken any. Tell us about interesting things you’ve seen or heard.
Ask us for advice on good places to visit as the seasons change, or on where to find specific species.
We’d like to hear from you when you reach a milestone: 25 birds, 50 birds, 75 birds, etc. Or when you see something unusual. You’re encouraged to record your observations on eBird.
We’ll include your name and your total on our website, and we’ll feature photos and stories from the field as well.
Here’s a list of our sanctuaries. You can find details, including Google maps, on our Sanctuaries pages.
Eastern Phoebes arrive back in Connecticut in early spring. Photo by Sandee Harraden.
Connecticut Audubon Sanctuaries
Fairfield
Larsen/eBird hotspot
Birdcraft/eBird hotspot
Banks South
Field Mahoney
Westport
Smith Richardson/eBird hotspot
Sherman
Deer Pond Farm/
*Please note that we have two eBird hotspots, one for the Connecticut part of our property and one for the New York side
Sherman CT eBird hotspot
Pawling NY eBird hotspot
Stratford
Stratford Point/eBird hotspot
Milford
Coastal Center at Milford Point/eBird hotspot
Old Lyme
Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
Pomfret
Bafflin/eBird hotspot
Hampton
Trail Wood/eBird hotspot
Listen for the loud call of the Northern Flicker throughout spring.
Montville
Chaney/eBird hotspot
Goshen
Croft/eBird hotspot
New Milford
Pratt Valley
Weston
Grace Mahoney
Redding
Steichen
East Haddam
Haagenson
